Friends Forever?
by Minerva Emiprav
Summary: Mirta, a first year student at Cloud Tower, longs for a friend. But no one wants to befriend her. Sick of a life of teasing and taunts, Mirta flees into the Dark Forest where she meets her new best friend.


The moon was high in the twinkling night sky as Mirta burst through the doors of Cloud Tower. Tears streamed down her face as she carelessly tripped over her own feet trying to escape the scornful laughter of witches that rang out behind her.

Heading into the Dark Forest, towards Alfea, she stumbled on and on until the laughter faded. When it finally ceased to exist Mirta collapsed face-down in the dirt and watered the earth with her tears until there were none left.

Taking deep breaths Mirta sat up, ignoring the dirt that coated her face. She sniffed once and wiped her eyes and leaking nose. She pulled her knees to her chest and just breathed. Just breathed through the pain. Her throat felt as though the coarsest sand paper had been shoved into it. Her eyes stung as though they'd been immersed in the ocean and her shoulders and chest felt like knives were imbedded in them.

Concentrating on the pain, Mirta tried to forget the reason she sat alone in the forest. But her futile attempts were short lived. The laughter flooded her memories, colliding with the walls of her mind and ricocheting over and over.

Mirta screamed as the memories bubbled, threatening to resurface. She tried to contain them in an imaginary steel box but they burst free, forcing Mirta to relive her pain.

"_What a loser."_

"_She doesn't have any friends."_

"_She's pathetic."_

"_No one likes her. She's desperate for friends."_

In Mirta's mind, she was forced to endure the taunts and teasings from her fellow witches as they tripped her, pushed her down stairs and threw paper at her. She gathered all her energy and closed her eyes. Concentrating with every fibre of her being, she forced the memories into the back of her mind. When nothing but blackness filled her mind, the slowly opened her eyes and breathed.

_It's not fair_ she thought, allowing herself to release her selfish thoughts for a few minutes reprieve. _They have everything. People who love them. They fit in. All I want is a best friend..._

Mirta halted her thoughts. A best friend. That was all she wanted. Was that so much to ask? When she'd first arrived at Cloud Tower, she was so excited to learn how to be a witch. To learn how to use her magic. But her fantasy was vastly different from reality as in her imagination, she had a best friend.

Mirta couldn't understand where she went wrong. She'd been friendly and accommodating with everyone. But she just wasn't accepted. _They're never going to accept me _she thought miserably. _I wish I could make a friend. A friend just for me who would support me through everything. I wish I could make a friend._

Mirta gazed at the moon, just visible between the tree tops. She could make a friend, she realised. She touched the gemstone necklace she always wore. It had been a gift from her mother for being accepted to Cloud Tower. Was it really worth sacrificing it to escape her loneliness?

Mirta yanked the necklace from her neck. She looked at the moon. It clearly wasn't a solar eclipse, and she couldn't feel one coming anytime soon. But it didn't matter. _I'm going to do it _she thought determinedly.

Mirta raised her necklace above her head. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was ready.

"Friends forever," she recited concentrating all her magic into the gemstone. That was one.

"Friends forever," she repeated, her heart pounding furiously. That was two. The gemstone began to buzz in her hand. Mirta gazed upward. Light shone from the stone.

"Friends forever," Mirta shouted as the gemstone pulsed. Light burst from the stone, swallowing the clearing.

Mirta screamed and felt the ground collide with her back. She slammed her eyes shut, blocking out the blinding light. When the light faded she opened them again and gasped. The spell had worked. In front of her stood a girl, around Mirta's age, with green-tinged hair.

"Hi, I'm Lucy."


End file.
